Give legs the ’royal’ treatment

Give legs the 'royal' treatment

Ever wondered about the secret to Kate Middleton's killer legs? Superior genes? Yes. But also a combination of diet and exercise, with regular exfoliation treatments thrown in. But this advice isn't just for the girls. Guys, take heart, because muscular thighs could be the way to win attention from the opposite sex. Think Mel Gibson in Braveheart. Active! brings you expert advice on diet, exercise and other tips for hot legs

Toned, tanned and legs to die for, Kate Middleton looked fab at her wedding. Even Prince Harry's Best Man's speech allegedly had a reference to Kate's "great pair of pins". Also a friend revealed to a UK-based tabloid, "Harry had some joke in about how he had immediately given Kate the thumbs up when William first brought her home because she had such a great pair of pins, but he didn't want to embarrass her."

The good news is there are ways to tone your legs even if you don't have a personal trainer on speed dial or a queen's inheritance to count on. While there is no short cut to super-slim legs, believes martial arts trainer, Kanishka Sharma, small lifestyle changes can go a long way. "Always take the stairs and try and walk as much as possible, even inside the office," he says. Running goes a long way too. "It helps burn fat, which helps slim down legs," adds Sharma.

What to eat
Nutrition is another key aspect towards achieving perfect pin-dom. Nutritionist Niti Desai advises, "Drinking at least two litres of water a day, cutting down on carbohydrates, getting more potassium (raisins, dates, spinach, tomatoes, salmon, beef) and protein in your diet and consuming more fruits."

Apart from maintaining a healthy weight and consuming a balanced diet, Desai recommends consuming foods with a high protein intake.u00a0 First class proteins for non-vegetarians comprise chicken, egg whites and fish and are essential. Vegetarians can opt for skimmed milk and soya. "One should have moderate carb intake and a workout 45 minutes to an hour post a meal is essential," says Desai.

Smooth and sexy legs
"Waxing and threading are painful options for hair removal. In these processes, the hair grows back very fast. Shaving is another option. I would recommend laser as the best option, as it rids legs of in-growth. In just a few sessions, hair growth is reduced," says cosmetologist Apratim Goel.

In some cases, Cellulite occurs as fat within fibrous connective tissue, leading to a padded or orange peel-like appearance. These can be rid of by injections, which are painful but effective says Dr Goel. "The beauty industry makes millions every year on treatments to fight cellulite," he says, adding that Endermologie is the latest anti-cellulite treatment being favoured by celebs.

"The affected areas are worked with a hand-held roller containing a powerful vibrating vacuum pump. This boosts circulation and helps the body banish toxins, as well as break down fat cells." Hair and styling expert Coleen Khan suggests using a good scrub to slough off dead skin cells and using a moisturiser.

"It's essential to exfoliate dead skin. There are various scrubs available in the market for that purpose. One should also moisturise the legs more often, in winters. A good tanning lotion can also be applied for sexy legs. One can also apply foundation to hide bruising, moles or the birthmarks," suggests Coleen.

Getting a regular pedicure (once every 15 to 30 days) is also essential to complete the look and for pretty feet, believes Coleen. While the perfect length for a woman's legs is said to be 1.4 times the length of her upper body, there are some tricks that can make you look taller, if you don't have the perfect ratio. Heels are an option for women, with a pointed, low-cut toe and a high narrow heel working exceptionally well.

Thighs we can't get enough of

David Beckham
There is plenty to love about Becks' body -- Posh, we're so jealous you get to wake up to that every morning. But it's his legs that brought him soccer stardom.

Ryan Reynolds
Ryan works on one body part each day - chest, back, shoulders, legs with arms mixed in and abs regularly. He also follows a strict diet and ensures he never "stuffs" himself by never going hungry. He also drinks tonnes of water throughout the day.

Mark Wahlberg
Ex-'Marky Mark' maintain his fab bod with an abdominal workout routine and a strict diet plan that includes "no-carbs" in theu00a0 evening. Although he has put his bad boy past behind him, he still maintains his "bad boy" workout!

Lance Armstrong
Livestrong is the key word here! Lance is a world class athlete and describes himself as being in the best shape if his life. He can be seen running, cycling, and mountain biking.

Four moves to tone legs

Mabu (Horse Riding Stance)
How to Begin with your feet approximately shoulder length apart and drop your body by sinking with your knees. Remember to keep your back and shoulders straight with your heels, spine and head aligned.
Good for It helps increase leg balance and strength, which allows the person to be rooted and controlled.
Repetitions Start with at least 3 sets

Pubu (Side sit-up)
How to Crouch all the way down. Extend the left leg till it makes contact with calf. Ensure that the right leg is flat on the floor.
Good for This exercise works the calf muscles and helps tone the entire leg
Repetitions 20 (gradually increase this to 40 a week)

Lunges
How to Stand with your feet about shoulder-width apart and then take one giant step forward with your right foot. Then place your hands on your hips for balance and then lower your body straight down until your back leg forms a right angle at the knee. Using your leg muscles, slowly raise yourself back up.
Good for Lunges work most of the muscles in your legs and buttocks
Repetitions Repeat the movement for three sets of 30 repetitions for each leg

Calf Raises
How to Get the toes and heel together and then go all the way up on your toes and then slowly come down, but make sure you do not touch your heel to the ground.
Good for This training gives you very strong calf muscles and stretches all the muscles used in back side of your legs.
Repetitions Repeat this slowly for 50 times and do 2 to 3 sets